British scouts to welcome atheists

CANTERBURY, England — The British scouting movement will soon welcome atheists who are reluctant to join the worldwide organization because … Continued

by Trevor Grundy | Religion News Service

CANTERBURY, England — The British scouting movement will soon welcome atheists who are reluctant to join the worldwide organization because they must take an oath to serve God.

Trustees from the Scouting Association — whose patron is Queen Elizabeth II — are preparing to meet next week to approve a new scouting oath for atheists — thus putting them on par with Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs and Hindus.

While those with religious affiliations will continue to promise to do their duty to both God and the queen, the new “Atheist Promise” (as it’s being called here) will say something different — although the exact words have not yet been released.

This comes only a week after Girl Guides announced that they would give up their promise to “love my God.” Beginning in September, the 500,000 Brownies and Guides will instead promiseÂ to be “true to myself and develop my beliefs.”

The British wing of the scouting organization founded by Lord Robert Baden-Powell in 1907 at Brownsea Island in southern England has agreed to bow to pressure from an increasing number of atheists. It comes at a time when British scouting has experienced buoyant growth — membership increased to 525,000 last year, up from 445,000 in 2005.

Alternative versions of the words “duty to God” have existed for different religious groups for more than 40 years. But this is the first time the British scouting leaders have consulted on an alternative version to accommodate the wishes of nonbelievers.

“We do not plan to change the core promise but to offer an option for those who are without faith but who wish to be part of the Scout Movement and are keen to support the movement’s values and developmental work with young people who are drawn from the widest range of cultures, belief systems andÂ communities,” said Chris Foster, media relations officer for the Scouting Association in London.

The Boy Scouts will be collectively struck by lighting, famine, biblical storms, floods, fire will rain from the skys, earthquakes and the usual devastation . . . . or not.

Rongoklunk

Sometimes I’m so proud to be British, and this is one of those times. Of course God has to go. If he actually existed – then it would be different. But commonsense says he doesn’t. And commonsense also says there’s no heaven, and no afterlife either. Bad news maybe. But there’s nothing better than truth. We follow truth wherever it takes us, unlike religion which denies everything unpleasant and scary. Good old England, they’re not much for ancient superstitions.

dcrswm

If god doesn’t care about millions of starving children then what are the chances it cares about scouting?